Gravel washing and screening apparatus.



a. w. DULL. GRAVELWASHING AND SCREENING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILEDAUG.26,1912.

' 1,177,309. I A Patented Mar. 28,1916

R. W. DULL.

GRAVEL WASHING AND SCREENING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26, 1912.

1 1 77,309. Patented Man 28, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

RAYMOND VI. DULL, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

GRAVEL WASHING- AND SCREENING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 26, 1912.

To all whom/2'1, may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND \V. Donn, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica,

and resident of Aurora, Kane county, 1lli 5 more, have invented acertain new and use ful Improvement in Gravel Washing and ScreeningApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for washing and separating sand andgravel,

and more particularly to that kind of apparatus in which the taperedscreens are arranged on the same shaft, said shaft being inclined, andea h screen being tapered toward the lower end of the shaft, whereby thesand and gravel are subjected to a series of screening operations, andthe result being that the gravel is graded info different sizes, whilethe sand is discharged sepago rately from the lower end of theapparatus.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction andarrangement whereby the said screens are spaced apart to afford accessto both endst-hereof, and for certain other purposes, as willhereinafter more fully appear, and to thereby increase the generalefficiency and desirability of a screening apparatus of this particularcharacter. 7

1n the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of ascreening apparatus embodying the principles of my invention, showingone of the screens thereof, and some of the chutes or spouts, insectign. Fig. a similar view of the upper portioii of said apparatus,showing the same equipped with a frusto conical member for churning oragitating the wet and muddy. materials beforethe same are delivered toi40 the first screen. Fig. 3 is'an enlarged longitudinal section ofthdsaid agitating member. Fig. l: is a cross section on line ll in Fig.3. As thus illustrated, and referring to 4-5 1. it will be seen that myinvention com prises'a series of bins 1, 2 and 3, providing an upperframework upon which the 1n-. clined shaft A is mounted for rotation insuitable bearings. The frusto-conical or tapered screens 13. C and Daresecured upon said shaft in anv suitable manner, the opposite ends ofeach screen being left open. i hopper ll delivers the materials to thefirst screen B, the latter being of relatively coarse mesh-that is tosay, being provided with relativelylarge openings. The screenSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

Serial No. 717,087.

' G is provided with relatively small openings, and the screen D isprovided with still smaller openings. A chute F takes the materialswhich pass through the openings of screen B to the mouth orlarger end of the screen C, and a spout f takesthc materials which aredischarged from the smaller end of the screen B into the bin 1, wherebythe coarsematerials are all discharged into this bin. The materialswhich pass through the openings of the screen 0 are received by thechute G, and thereby conducted to the moutlnor larger end of the screenD. The spout 9 receives the materials which pass out 6f the\ l0wer orsmaller end of the screen C and lischarges the same into the bin :2.whereby this bin receives and contains the next smaller. grade ofmaterials. The materials which pass through the openings of the screen Dare received by the chute H and are by the latter discharged into anysuitable receptacle or upon the ground, depending upon the requirementsof any particular case( The spout it receives the materials which passout of the smaller end of the screen I) and discharges the same into thebin 3, whereby this bin contains the next smaller grade of materials.Thus the materials are graded from coarse to fine, and the materialseliminated from the mass by each screen pass in at one end thereof andout at the other end of the screen. In each case the body or mass of thematerials passes through the open ings and then is received by the nextscreen, except inscase of the last screen.

As the screens are all mounted on the one shaft. the single drivingconnection I is sufficient for all of them, and thus a separate drivingconnection for each screen is not necessary. Furthermore, each screen isdivided longitudinally into sections, each of which is perfofiited totheir contacting edges, andv opposing angle clips X, secured upon theoutside of said sections adjacent their contacting edges, are employedfor'removably clamping the sections, about the spiders Y by whichthe'screens are secured on the shaft. In this way the screens can beeasily removed without in any way disturbing the center shaft upon whichthey are mounted, and. consequently repairs and substitution of newparts are rendered easier and more convenient and practical thanheretofore.

In Figs. 24 a feeding arrangement is serves as a scrubber.

shown for churning or" agitating the materials, especially in case ofwet and muddy gravel, or gravel with clay, etc., adhering thereto,before the same are delivered to the first screen. For this purpose, thefrustoconical and hollow member J is provided, being similar in shape tothe said screens and disposed in position to receive the materials fromthe spout or hopper K in the manner shown more clearly in Fig. 2. Theinterior of said member J is provided with longitudinally disposed ribsof angle iron j, and the smaller end of said. member is providedinternally with elevating paddles,

or blades 7', which latter elevate the materials and drop the same intothe discharge spout 7' which extends into the smaller end of saidmember. The wet and muddy materials are churned or agitated by the saidmember J to thoroughly pulverize and mix the finer particles thereof, togrind the same up and leave the gravel free and clear, whereby the clayor other substance is separated from the gravel. Then the entire mass isdischarged by the spout j into the first screen B, and from this on theoperation is the same as that previously described. During the operationthe member J is flushed with water, and the gravel is thus washed clear.Thus the member J Of course water is used throughout the process, in anysuitable manner and it is to afford full opportunity for such use thatthe screens are, spaced apart.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the screens are spaced apart orseparated a substantial distance, to provide a free and unobstructedspace between the adjacent ends thereof to afford ready access to thesmall ends should clogging occur, and also that both ends of the screensare open and unobstructed, especially the small ends, so that anyportion of the material which does not pass through thescreen-perforations will be discharged from the open end as freely aswhen passing through the screen. It will also be observed that the upperends of the discharge spouts (7 are flared or inclined away from thescreens, which also facilitates a free discharge from the screens andavoids any tendency of clogging at this point. By thus providing meansfor allowing a free flow of the material through the screens, the fulladvantage of tapered type of screen is secured, that is, every portionof the screens from the large to the small end does its proportionatescreening.

In other words, when the charge is delivered into the large end, thereis a greater proportion of fine material; consequently the large endfurnishes the greatest screening surface, and as the material graduallytravels toward the small end, the proportion of fine material becomessmaller and the screening surface also decreases. It willbe furtherobserved that when. the screens are d1v1ded longitudinally to formremov-' .considerable saving is accomplished in this respect.Furthermore, it will be seen that the materials are not required to passout of the screens at the same ends to which they. are delivered-that isto say, the entire mass or bulk of the materials is deli ered at thelarge end of the screen, and

.by reason. of the construction and mode of op ration those portions orsizes of the materials which do not pass through the openings of thescreen are not required to flow back and pass out of the said larger endthereof. To the contrary, and as explained, the materials which do notpass through the openings of the screen are permitted to flow freely outand onward through the small. end of the screen, and consequently thework is expedited and the desired results are obtained in a. practicalmanner and with an apparatus having a novel and more satisfactoryconstruction. The materials, it will be seen, are delivered to the largeend of the screen, and are not delivered by the spout to the small endof the screen, which latter was the practice with apparatus of this kindin which frusto-con- "icalscreens are employed having their forward orsmall ends closed. Consequently, and with my improved construction andarrangement, the chute by which the bulk of the materials is deliveredto the screen does not necessarily extend into the screen, but simply tothe mouth or larger end thereof in the manner explained. In this, way,and by this method, I increase the capacity and efficiency of ascreening apparatus of this character. Thus the lower ends of thescreens are all free and clear and unobstructed and the screens arespaced apart in. a manner that facilitates the general screening andwashing operation, and especially the use of water wherever"desired5for, as

previously stated, water is used throughout the process in any suitableor well known manner, to wash the gravel, as it is-highlv important thatthe sand and mud be prevented from discharging from the ends of thescreens with the gravel or other oversized material which is too largeto pass through the perforations. An important object of my inventionis, therefore, to'provide a single shaft apparatus which will obviatethe necessity of a separate shaft for each screen without interferingwith the use of water and the handling of the gravel in the desiredmanner, as will be readily understood by those familiar with thecommercial methods of screening and washing gravel.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An apparatus for washing and separating sand and gravel, comprising aframe, an inclined shaft mounted thereon, a p1urality of tapered screensmounted on said shaftin alinement with each other. each screen beingpositioned on said shaft with its lower side inclining downwardly towardsaid small end which is free and open and also unobstructed from theexterior, whereby the oversized material in said screens is caused totravel continuously by gravitation in one direction only toward andthrough said free and open small ends, means for delivering material tothe upper screen, a chute beneath each screen so arranged that a chuteextends from the large end of one screen to the large end of the screennext below, a discharge spout at the small end of each screen, and meansfor driving said shaft.

2. An apparatus for washing and separating sand and grai cl, comprisinga. frame, an inclined shaft mounted thereon, a plurality of taperedscreens mounted on said shaft in alinement with each other, each screenbeing positioned on said shaft with its lower side inclining downwardlytoward said small end which is free and open, whereby the oversizedmaterial in said screens is caused to travel continuously by gravitationin one direction only toward and through said free and open small ends,said screens being spaced apart a considerable distance and unobstructedbetween their adjacent ends to afford a ready access to the entirecircuniference of said small ends, means for delivering material to theupper screen, a chute beneath each screen so an ranged that a chuteextends from the large end of one screen to the large end of the screennext below, a discln e spout at the small end of each screen, and meansfor driving said shaft. l

3. An apparatus for washing and separating sand and gravel, comprising aframe, aninclined shaft mounted thereon, a plu- -rality-ef-ta'peredscreens mounted on said shaft in alinement with each other, each screenbeing positioned on said shaft with its lower side inclining downwardlytoward said small end which is free and open, whereby the oversizedmaterial in said screens is caused to travel continuously by gravitationin one direction only toward and through said free and open small ends,said screens being spaced apart a considerable distance and unobstructedbetween their adjacent ends to afford a ready access to the entirecircumference of said small ends and also demountable independently ofeach other and the mountings of said inclined shaft, means fordelivering material to the upper screen, a chute beneath each screen soarranged that a chute extends from the large end of one screen to thelarge end of the screen next below, a discharge spout at the small endof each screen, and means for driving said shaft.

i. In an apparatus of the character described, a shaft, spiders mountedon said shaft, and a tapered screen circular in cross-section dividedlongitudinally into sections and supported on said spiders, each of saidsections being perforated to its longitudinal edges to provide screeningportions over the entire area of said sections including marginsadjacent the meeting edges thereof, and clips for securing the meetingedges of the sections together and retaining said sections in assembledposition, said clips being secured to the outside of said sectionsadjacent said longitudinal edges, whereby the clips of one section willregister and cooperate with the like clips on the adjacent section.

5. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a shaft, spiders mountedon said shaft, and a tapered screen circular in cross section anddivided longitudinally into sections supported by said spiders, each ofsaid sections being perforated to its longitudinal edges to providescreening portions over the entire area of said sections including themargins adjacent the meeting edges thereof, and means secured upon theoutside of said sections adjacent said meeting edges for securing saidsections together around said spiders.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a shaft, spiders mountedon said shaft, and a tapered screen circular in crosssection supportedby said spiders and divided longitudinally to facilitate their removalfrom said spiders, said screen being perforated to its longitudinaledges to provide screening portions over its entire area including themargins adjacent the meeting edges thereof, and means for securing saidmeeting edges together and the screen around said spiders.

7. An apparatus for washing and separating sand and gravel, comprising aframe, an inclined shaft mounted thereon, a screen circular incross-section mounted on said shaft to discharge over-sized materialfrom its small end, and means for delivering material to said screenembodying a conical member mounted on said inclined shaft in alinementwith and spaced from said screen and which discharges directly from itssmall end a regulated quantity of material into the screen.

8. A= apparatus for Washing and sepa-. rating sand and gravel,comprising a frame,

an inclined shaft mounted thereon, a screen circular in cross-sectionmounted on said. shaft to discharge oversized material from its smallend. and means for delivering material to said screen embodying aconical, imperforate member mounted on said in clincd shaft inalinenient with and spaced from said screen and which dischargesdirectly from its small end regulated quantity of material into thescreen.

9. An apparatus for Washing and separating sand and gravel, comprising aframe,

an inclined shaft mounted thereon. a screen circular in crosssectionmounted on said shaft to discharge oversized material from its smallend, and means for delivering 1naterial to said screen embodying aconical, nnperforate member mounted on said inclincd shaft in alinementwith and spaced,

